Abstract

The polyamine pathway has an essential role in many cellular functions and has been implicated in several pathological conditions. Accumulating evidence suggests that the polyamine system also plays a role in the etiology and pathology of mental disorders. Alterations in the expression and activity of polyamine metabolic enzymes, as well as changes in the levels of the individual polyamines, have been observed in multiple conditions, including schizophrenia, mood disorders, anxiety and suicidal behaviour. Additionally, these components have been found to be altered by various psychiatric treatments. Further, the polyamines and their precursors have demonstrated both antidepressant and anxiolytic effects. Overall, findings to date suggest that the polyamine pathway represents an important frontier for the development of neuropharmacological treatments.

Contributors: Both authors designed the study. Ms. Fiori acquired and analyzed the data. Both authors wrote the article, and Dr. Turecki revised it. Both authors gave final approval for the article to be published.

Acknowledgements: This work was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) MOP 79253. Dr. Turecki is a Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec (FRSQ) scholar. Ms. Fiori received a scholarship from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).